Wonderland (album)
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Wonderland is the first album by Erasure, originally released in June 1986 on Mute Records in the UK and Sire Records in the US Not an immediate success, the three singles released from it failed to crack the Top 40 in the UK, nor did any of them enter the Billboard Hot 100 (although Oh L'amour became a UK Top 20 hit in 2003, in a remixed form).
Erasure's initial exposure in the US came via dance clubs, as two singles did hit the Top 10 on the Billboard Dance/Club Play Chart.
Group member Vince Clarke had originally planned for this album to feature different singers for each track, but because of their musical chemistry, he and Andy Bell collaborated for the entire album and shortly after its release Clarke and Bell formed a permanent partnership. Unfortunately at the time of its release, many considered it to be a failure, especially when comparing it to Clarke's prior successes with Depeche Mode and Yazoo. Early reviews of the album dubbed Bell as an Alison Moyet imitator.
Nearly two decades after its release, Wonderland is widely revered as a classic example of mid-80s synth pop and is appreciated now as the beginning stages of one of electronic music's most enduring acts.
Wonderland contains the following tracks:
- Who Needs Love Like That
- Reunion
- Cry So Easy
- Push Me Shove Me
- Heavenly Action
- Say What
- Love Is A Loser
- Senseless
- My Heart... So Blue
- Oh L'amour
- Pistol
Bonus tracks on CD: 12. March On Down The Line (Remix) 13. Say What (Remix) 14. Senseless (Remix)
The US edition has a slightly different tracklist:
- Who Needs Love Like That
- Reunion
- Cry So Easy
- Senseless
- Heavenly Action
- Say What
- Love Is A Loser
- March On Down The Line
- My Heart... So Blue
- Oh L'Amour
- Who Needs Love Like That (The Love That Mix Version)
- Oh L'amour (The Funky Sisters Remix)
Chart Placings
Wonderland peaked at #71 on the UK album chart and never hit the Billboard 200 in the US.
Three singles were released:
- Who Needs Love Like That #55 UK
- Heavenly Action #100 UK
- Oh L'amour #85 UK